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Hammel, Wei-Yin Chen and Tsuyoshi Wada "contractually" figure to be in it, according to a team official. I'd still expect Tommy Hunter to be included because he can consume innings, which is even more important following Guthrie's departure.

This is from yesterday on Roch's blog.

The most obvious guess for the rotation is now Wada, Chen, Hammel, Hunter and Britton.

TuckerBlair89 wrote:It makes so much more sense now that they traded Guthrie. They knew this the entire time (Well, I guess everyone did but the word contractually and promised are two different ballparks)

I understood what you meant. I think Chen will be given a longer leash than Wada.

It would be pretty ridiculous if Wada didn't make the rotation, but I like him in the bullpen to start the season. Hammel, Chen, Hunter, Arrieta, Britton and Wada as the swing man. Once somebody goes down or falters, Wada is right there. I don't expect him to make the starting five but still see him getting 15+ starts.

A_K wrote:I have no idea what I'll get excited about each day if our rotation is Chen-Wada-Hammel-Hunter-Eveland.

If that was our rotation through the end of May because they were pitching very well then I would be happy. If the kids pitch so well at AAA that they force their way into the rotation in June then I would be even happier.

A_K wrote:I have no idea what I'll get excited about each day if our rotation is Chen-Wada-Hammel-Hunter-Eveland.

If that was our rotation through the end of May because they were pitching very well then I would be happy. If the kids pitch so well at AAA that they force their way into the rotation in June then I would be even happier.

The fact of the matter (and yeah, it's a fact) is that no team will ever be relevant with a rotation featuring Chen-Wada-Hunter-Hammel. So even if they pitch well and stave off the young competition through April, it won't be a reason for celebration, it'll just be a process of further delaying the time that this team might actually field a competitive lineup.

The only way the above scenario could benefit this team is if you believe Matusz, Arrieta, Britton, and to a lesser extent Tillman, need more time in the minor leagues to refine their repertoires. Maybe that's the case. I'm more than willing to believe that that's in fact true. But let's not delude ourselves into thinking a professional baseball team can matter with Chen-Wada-Hunter-Hammel as its top four starters. If you're rooting for them to crack the rotation, and if you're prepared to be excited about them performing adequately enough to hold down those spots, it should mean that you also think the young kids were rushed to the majors and need more time in the minors to become better pitchers. Without the latter, the former is just delusional homerism.

A_K wrote:The fact of the matter (and yeah, it's a fact) is that no team will ever be relevant with a rotation featuring Chen-Wada-Hunter-Hammel.

There does not exist any combination of 25 players in our system that will make us relevant this year.

A_K wrote:it won't be a reason for celebration, it'll just be a process of further delaying the time that this team might actually field a competitive lineup.

IMO a reasonable delay will make us a winning team FASTER.

A_K wrote:The only way the above scenario could benefit this team is if you believe Matusz, Arrieta, Britton, and to a lesser extent Tillman, need more time in the minor leagues to refine their repertoires. Maybe that's the case. I'm more than willing to believe that that's in fact true. ... If you're rooting for them to crack the rotation, and if you're prepared to be excited about them performing adequately enough to hold down those spots, it should mean that you also think the young kids were rushed to the majors and need more time in the minors to become better pitchers.

I agree that there's no combination of 25 players that will make us relevant this year. That's why I believe our outlook should be on what will make us relevant 2-3 years into the future. I didn't in any way mean to sound combative about how one could rationally think sending Matusz/Britton/Arrieta to the minors would be beneficial for the team. I was just saying that the logical extension of a) the group of veterans being irrelevant filler with no upside, and b) the team being destined for a last place finish means c) the only way supporting a) makes any sense is if you believe the young kids can still improve in the minors. If that's what you think-- and like I said, I recognize that it is an entirely reasonable opinion-- then the offseason acquisitions certainly make a lot of sense. Since I personally don't think Matusz/Britton/Arrieta have any reason to pitch in the minors anymore, the moves make very little sense to me.

My initial post merely meant to isolate the primary point of contention: whether the young pitchers have any improvement left to make in the minors. Everything else, I presume, are things we agree upon.